Freeport servant-leaders take a smaller stab at hunger in Haiti

FREEPORT — Participants in this year’s “Hearts and Hands for Hunger” food drive hope to send more than 40,000 meals to the children of Haiti. With the success of last year’s effort, it’s a realistic goal.

The food drive was launched in response to the massive earthquake that struck the Caribbean nation on Jan. 12, 2010. It’s coordinated by Servant-Leadership in partnership with various service agencies.

About 160 students from 15 area high schools take part in Servant-Leadership. The college credit program emphasizes leadership training and community service.

The students set the goals each year. They decided this year that other fundraisers in several of the participating communities made the 10,000-fewer-meals-for-Haiti-than-last-year goal more reachable.

Students and volunteers will package the meals April 13. The project needs about $10,000; fundraising is ongoing, and volunteers are needed.

“In the four years of the program, we will have fed 168,000 children if we meet this year’s goal,” Pool said.

The need in Haiti is great. The United Nations World Food Programme estimates that 80 percent of Haitians live below the poverty line and half of the nation’s children are undersized from malnutrition.

Food-drive meals cost 25 cents apiece to prepare and ship. Each consists of a rice and soy mix, hydrated vegetables, vitamins and minerals, and chicken flavoring. The meals are nutritional and designed to reverse the starvation process.

“This is not a full seven-course meal, but it’s a well-balanced meal,” said sophomore Carrie Scherer, a student assistant for Servant-Leadership. “These children are hungry, and it gives them the sustenance they need.”

Scherer, 19, has been with the food drive since its inception, when she was a junior at Orangeville High School. She still finds it rewarding.